This study focuses on 11 African American undergraduate seniors in a biology degree program at a predominantly white research institution in the southeastern United States. These 11 respondents shared their journeys throughout the high school and college science pipeline. Participants described similar precollege factors and experiences that contributed to their academic success and persistence at a predominantly white institution. One of the most critical factors in their academic persistence was participation in advanced science and mathematics courses as part of their high school college preparatory program. Additional factors that had a significant impact on their persistence and academic success were family support, teacher encouragement, intrinsic motivation, and perseverance. ß 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 42: 2005

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Recent movements that focus on social justice and racial equity have been the impetus for demands by students and faculty at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) to pressure institutional leadership to address how systemic racism plays out in policies and practices that pose barriers to persistence and success in higher education (e.g. promotion and tenure, administrative positions) for faculty from traditionally underrepresented groups (e.g. African American, Latino/a Indigenous people). There is increasing research in this area but there is still a paucity of research on specific factors that influence persistence, career development, and advancement for African American women faculty at Predominantly White Institutions. Racism and gender discrimination are significant barriers to the persistence and career advancement of African American women faculty at PWIs and this is even more pervasive in STEM. This paper will address research on African American women at PWIs and highlight the role mentoring as resistance and resilience plays in supporting African American women faculty.